# NTSB CEN24LA230: Cirrus Design SR20, N154WF, Litchfield, MI, June 19, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 19, 2024, 11:23 local (15:23 UTC)
- Place: Litchfield, MI
- Coordinates: 42.060053, -84.717094 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.0601&lon=-84.7171&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO, Cirrus
- NTSB case key (mKey): 194505
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA230
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194505/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194505
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA230

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s loss of control and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial reaction which resulted in a spin.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 36 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Maneuvering: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md)

## Analysis

While practicing power-off stalls during an instructional flight, the student pilot was flying when the airplane entered a spin to the right. The flight instructor attempted remedial action but was unable to recover from the spin. The flight instructor pulled the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) handle about 2,800 ft msl. The CAPS system deployed the parachute, and the airplane descended to the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the composite fuselage from the firewall aft to the CAPS rocket/parachute exit area, and the rudder spar. There were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N154WF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N154WF), registered now, S/N 1638, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR20
- Registry model: [Cirrus Design SR20](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr20) (registry code 2130000) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-360-ES](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-es) (registry code 17160, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1638
- Year built: 2006
- Airframe hours: 7509
- Engines: Continental IO360ES27B 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Board Of Trustees Of Western Michigan University
- Registered owner: Board Of Trustees Of Western Michigan University
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 13, 2024, 11 hours before
- Departed: BTL, Battle Creek, MI
- Destination: BTL, Battle Creek, MI
- Airport: N/A
- Equipment: Data recorder, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Airframe parachute, Auto-pilot

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 8, 2024; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 398 total, 327 in this make and model, 271 as pilot in command, 95 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours
- Student pilot; age 22; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 8 total, 8 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observed at: JYM, 10 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20240619008759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240619008759A), Jun 19, 2024: Cirrus Design Corp SR20, Litchfield, MI, Substantial damage. The CFI stated that they were practicing full stalls. As the student attempted a full stall, the right wing dropped, as the CFI took the controls from the…

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 22, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194505. 6.5 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17669618&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120%20Pilot%20Operator%20Report%20CEN24LA230_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Cirrus SR20 flight manual excerpts CEN24LA230 (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 344 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17612545&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Cirrus%20SR20%20Flight%20Manual%20Excerpts%20CEN24LA230-Rel.pdf
- Aircraft damage report caps deployment CEN24LA230 (item 3, PDF, 9 pages, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17612467&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Aircraft%20Damage%20Report%20CAPS%20Deployment%20CEN24LA230_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photographs CEN24LA230 (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 845 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17613706&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photographs%20CEN24LA230-Rel.pdf
- Certificate of party representative Cirrus CEN24LA230 (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 118 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17612139&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Certificate%20of%20Party%20Representative%20Cirrus%20CEN24LA230_Redacted-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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